by Chung Lung Ying. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-157). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abbreviations --- p.ii / Abstracts --- p.v / List of figures --- p.ix / List of tables --- p.xii / Contents --- p.xiii / Contents / General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- CISPLATIN RESISTANCE MECHANISMS / Chapter 1.1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- History of Cisplatin as An Anticancer Drug --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Active Mechanisms of Cisplatin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Formation of DNA Adducts --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Cisplatin Resistance Mechanisms --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1.4.1 --- Intracellular Accumulation of Cisplatin --- p.11 / Chapter 1.1.4.2 --- Glutathione-S-transferase and Glutathion --- p.12 / Chapter 1.1.4.3 --- Metallothionein --- p.16 / Chapter 1.1.4.4 --- Cell Cycle Perturbation --- p.16 / Chapter 1.1.4.5 --- P-glycoprotein --- p.17 / Chapter 1.1.4.6 --- Multidrug Resistant Protein --- p.19 / Chapter 1.1.4.7 --- Topoisomerase II --- p.20 / Chapter 1.1.4.8 --- DNA Repair --- p.22 / Chapter 1.1.4.9 --- Induction of Programme Cell Death --- p.23 / Chapter 1.2 --- OBJECTIVES --- p.27 / Chapter 1.3 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Materials --- p.28 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Methods --- p.31 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- Cell Lines --- p.31 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- Drug Sensitivity Assay --- p.31 / Chapter 1.3.2.3 --- Platinum Uptake --- p.32 / Chapter 1.3.2.4 --- Cell Cycle Analysis --- p.32 / Chapter 1.3.2.5 --- Western Blot Analysis --- p.33 / Chapter 1.3.2.6 --- Glutathione Content Determination --- p.36 / Chapter 1.3.2.7 --- DNA Fragmentation --- p.36 / Chapter 1.3.2.8 --- JC-1 Staining --- p.37 / Chapter 1.3.2.9 --- HE and DCF Staining --- p.38 / Chapter 1.3.2.10 --- Quantitative RT-PCR --- p.38 / Chapter 1.4 --- RESULTS / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Cisplatin Sensitivity of A431 Cells by MTT Assay --- p.40 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Cross-resistance to Anti-cancer Drugs --- p.40 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Quantitation of Cisplatin Accumulation in A431 Cells by AAS --- p.44 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Drug Detoxification Agent --- p.45 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- Detection of Cell Cycle Arrest by Flow Cytometer --- p.47 / Chapter 1.4.6 --- Expression of Drug Resistance Related Genes --- p.48 / Chapter 1.4.7 --- Detection of Apoptosis by DNA Fragmentation --- p.50 / Chapter 1.4.8 --- Role of Mitochondria and Reactive Oxygen Species by Flow Cytometer --- p.52 / Chapter 1.4.9 --- Detection of Apoptotic mRNA Level by Quantitative RT-PCR --- p.57 / Chapter 1.4.10 --- Detection of Apoptotic Protein Level by Western Blot Analysis --- p.57 / Chapter 1.5 --- DISCUSSIONS --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- THE INTERACTION BETWEEN DRUG RESISTANCE MECHANISMS AND GROWTH FACTOR SIGNALLING PATHWAY / Chapter 2.1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.63 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Structure of EGF and EGFR --- p.64 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Growth Factor Signal Transduction Pathway --- p.69 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Biological Effect of EGF --- p.69 / Chapter 2.1.3.1 --- Modification of Drug Sensitivity by EGF --- p.71 / Chapter 2.2 --- OBJECTIVES --- p.74 / Chapter 2.3 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Materials --- p.75 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Methods / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Cell Lines --- p.76 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Drug Sensitivity Assay --- p.77 / Chapter 2.3.2.3 --- Northern Blot Analysis --- p.77 / Chapter 2.3.2.4 --- Southern Blot Analysis --- p.78 / Chapter 2.3.2.5 --- Others --- p.78 / Chapter 2.4 --- RESULTS / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Sensitivity to EGF --- p.79 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- EGFR Expression Levels --- p.80 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- EGF Induced Protein Phosphorylation Pattern --- p.84 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Effect of EGF on A431 Cells --- p.86 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Response of Cells to Agents Targeting on EGF Signalling Pathway --- p.91 / Chapter 2.4.6 --- Response of Cells to Other Growth Factors --- p.97 / Chapter 2.4.7 --- Sensitivity of Cells to Different Anti-cancer Drugs --- p.99 / Chapter 2.4.8 --- Drug Resistance Mechanisms --- p.103 / Chapter 2.4.9 --- 5-Fluorouracil Sensitivity in A431 Cells --- p.108 / Chapter 2.4.10 --- Cisplatin Sensitivity in A431 Cells --- p.113 / Chapter 2.5 --- DISCUSSIONS --- p.117 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- IDENTIFICATION OF DIFFERENTIALLY EXPRESSED GENE IN A431 CELLS BY DIFFERENTIAL DISPLAY / Chapter 3.1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.122 / Chapter 3.2 --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Materials --- p.128 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Methods / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes by RT-PCR / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Cloning of a Differentially Expressed cDNAs --- p.129 / Chapter 3.2.2.3 --- Screening and Sequencing of cDNA Inserts --- p.130 / Chapter 3.2.2.4 --- Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE) --- p.131 / Chapter 3.2.2.5 --- Amplifcation Reaction --- p.131 / Chapter 3.2.2.6 --- Cloning and Sequencing of the RACE Fragment --- p.132 / Chapter 3.3 --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Identification of novel cDNA by mRNA differential display --- p.133 / Chapter 3.4 --- DISCUSSIONS --- p.145 / General Conclusion --- p.147 / References --- p.149